Child of the Moon
by Shadowalker Nightstalker
Summary: She had a dark secret. Burdened with a power that would make her a target, as well as drive her insane eventually, she hid it all behind a mask of indifference. A small, loud kid and a tall, quiet man. They saved her, and she would always be indebted to them... shuddup i suck at summaries i know... rated T cause i forget and I'm paranoid
1. Child of the Moon

**Author Note:**

**YO~ this was ORIGINALLY posted onto my DeviantArt account but i decided to post here, since i've done A LOT of editing to this piece  
so... yeah... **

_'Thoughts'  
__~Dreams~_  
_**'Other**** people's thoughts, when in Tsukiko's head'**__  
_**Demonic** **Voice**  
Things that are written  
"Normal Talking"  
**"Demon Talking"**

* * *

The injuries she had sustained in that fight were worse than he originally thought. Her body moved sluggishly through the forest, and was feeling heavy. He needed to find a village or house soon or she could die, and that wouldn't be good for him. There was something up ahead... the sound of many heart beats reached him and the smell of lifeblood filled his nose. Harrumph, it was a rather big village but it would have to do. Stumbling through the gates he could feel the legs beginning to feel rubbery. Damn he wasn't going to make it to the hospital. He turned into the nearest shop and smelt the repulsive smell of ramen. How humans could eat this stuff he had no idea. Well there were people inside and they are bound to notice the young girl standing in the doorway bleeding. Now he could go back to the depths of her mind and sleep. To make sure his sleep was uninterrupted, he would take THAT power with him...

The world was bleary, everything felt so disorientated. Where was she? Why on earth was it so bright? As the world focused she saw an older man making something that smelled delicious. She tried to step forward but was far to tired. A small blonde boy was busy scoffing down what appeared to be his fifth bowl. "Hey! Welcome to Ichiraku's! What will it..." Everything spun and she dropped, slipping away into oblivion...

* * *

_~Blood. There was blood everywhere. The smell filled her nostrils, causing something inside her to stir._  
_"Looks like it failed, kill the brat." A tall man covered by the shadows turned and walked away and two nasty looking men took his place. The men slowly closed in on her pulling kunai out as they did, a twisted grin creeping on their scarred faces._  
_"kukuku, this is gonna be fun hey Susumu?"_  
_"Yes Takeshi, hmhmhmhm how shall we toy with this one? Slowly bleed her or cut her open and remove her innards while she still breathes? So many ways to kill her!" The taller one had a dark sinister smirk on his face as he approached her._  
_"No leave me alone!" She threw her hands out in front of her, slapping Takeshi as he drew close._  
_"Why you little! I'm gonna smash your brains out across the ground!" The man dropped his kunai and grabbed a nearby hammer, lifting it over his head and bringing it down on the girl's left arm with a sickening crunch_.~

She screamed loudly sitting up and clutching her left arm.  
"Whoa slow down there its OK! I'm here now, just breath," A hand touched her shoulder and she screamed, pulling away, jumping off the bed and backing into a corner in the room. The person who had touched her was a pretty lady with a nurse outfit on and short brown hair and dark eyes filled with concern. "Please relax! It's OK, my name is Suzume. What's yours?" she held her hands out in front of her palms up.  
"T-Tsukiko" Tsukiko pressed herself up against the wall as Suzume approached.  
"What a lovely name! Tsukiko, please could you tell me how you broke your arm? It was a terrible break. What happened to you?" Suzume put a gentle hand on Tsukiko's right arm. Tsukiko flinched but tolerated the contact.  
"I-I don't kn-know, w-where a-am I?"  
"You're in Konoha Hospital"  
"How did I get here?" After the initial shock she felt her heart rate slow down and her breathing became easier. '_Questions... I can do questions... Just keep asking questions...'_  
"Teuchi brought you here. He found you in his Ramen Shop floor barely alive."  
"How did I get there?"  
"You don't remember? No one really knows. You were just there. The ANBU were hoping you might be able to tell them more," Suzume looked concerned.  
"No I don't" Tsukiko could feel the world begin to spin again as she felt faint. "Why is it so loud in here?" There was a loud clamor of noise as hundreds of voices assailed her.  
"What do you mean? Tsukiko? Tsukiko are you alright? Tsukiko!" Tsukiko dropped again under the weight of exhaustion. Suzume caught the small girl and realized she was just tired. "Poor thing. Maybe she'll remember when she's had more rest," Suzume carried the limp form to the bed and tucked her in gently and left the room to tend to her other patients...

* * *

As she slept, she slowly became more and more aware of the world around her. Voices at first, whispers at the edge of her awareness. She could hear the dark thoughts of the bereft, the forlorn thoughts of the dying. Pain, love, horror and other emotions swirled and turned dark, as something bright and warm approached her. Her eyes fluttered open as she sensed the warmth outside her door. The door opened slowly, and she sat up carefully, curious about this warmth, but cautious. A small boy, with hair like sunshine and cerulean blue eyes peeked in. Darkness swirled around him, even though he was the bright light she could sense. '_Why? Why is there so much hatred dogging his steps?'_ She carefully shifted her position so that she could make a run if she needed to.  
"Um... Hi." The boy fidgeted. Tsukiko cautiously waved him in. He stepped through the doorway. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto, what's yours?" He bravely ignored the glares, but his thoughts rushed her unbidden. _**'**__**Why? Why are they looking at me with those eyes? What did I do to deserve this!?'**_  
"Tsukiko." She murmured, shifting towards him.  
"Well.. um... It's good to see you're getting better!" He said, grinning. "So...uh..Bye!" He hurriedly turned and fled, people making space for him as he rushed by.  
**_'It's HIM again,'_** She could hear, the words echoing around him. _'__Who was he?'_  
"Tsukiko, you're up! How are you feeling?" A nurse came in, smiling brightly. _**'**_**_HE was in here.'_**  
"Why do you treat him like that?"  
"Huh? What do you mean?" The nurse looked confused, her smile faltering.  
"Why do you all hate that boy? What has he done?" Tsukiko frowned, confused at the reaction she was causing.  
"He's-um well he's- that's top secret Leaf business only!" The nurse stormed out slamming the door behind her. Tsukiko flinched. Why was everyone acting like he was some kind of monster?  
The voices began to get louder, clamoring for attention, drumming away inside her skull.  
_'I wish they would stop! I wish they would all be quiet! I wish they'd leave me alone!' _Tsukiko threw her hands over her ears and squeezed her eyes shut. She sat there, writhing in agony for what felt like hours.  
"Quick make way! It's an emergency!" The voice struck her and she could hear the frantic attitude that suddenly took over the footsteps that echoed madly around her. But it was the smell that caught her.  
Blood. Again there was that stirring feeling in her gut.  
**"Hmmm, that smell is so sweet,"** A deep voice that dripped with malice woke her from her trance.  
"Who's there?" Tsukiko looked around wildly, the pain and noise subsiding slightly. The room was completely empty, save for her. "Where are you?" Just as quietly and as smoothly as the voice and feeling had come, they left, leaving Tsukiko feeling scared and uncertain. Then she saw something on the side table that caught her eye. She moved over to it and picked up the small piece of jewelry with her good hand and looked at it. It was circular in shape with a crescent moon in the circle. It glittered faintly and had a familiar feel to it. Tsukiko climbed out of bed and walked over to the window, just as the sun set completely. She saw the moon gleaming outside her window, fresh and silver. It was a full moon, like the circle. Tsukiko held it up and marveled at how the light danced on it. She then noticed the small writing on the back.  
Fear is only as deep as the mind allows.  
Tsukiko smiled. Now she understood. She was aware of the thoughts of others because she feared their motives. Her mind reached out to other minds, causing the loud clamor, as she tried to discern friend from foe. Perhaps this power could be suppressed, controlled. Tsukiko focused her will on silence, and slowly, one by one the voices became still. Tsukiko sighed and walked back to the bed. Sliding under the covers she gripped the amulet and held it close, slipping off to sleep, hoping for a more peaceful rest...


	2. Stormy Meeting

**AUTHOR NOTE:** These might start out quick fire uploads, but thats only because i'm rewriting the original and reposting it here. Just to clarify, this IS _my_ story, I just decided kid me had some really wild ideas that needed to be thought through

hence, the editting/rewritting

i might do it again sometime...  
Tsuki-chan: She's right, she does this all the time  
Me: Shut up...  
Tsuki-chan: Don't you have another story you should be working on?  
Kaida: Like mine :(  
Me: *sweatdrop* I'll get round to it...

BACK TO THE STORY~  
I own Tsukiko...  
Not any other Naruto related Characters though... thems be someone elses...sadly

_'Thoughts'  
__~Dreams/flashbacks~_  
_**'Other**** people's thoughts, when in Tsukiko's head'**__  
_**Demonic** **Voice**  
Things that are written  
"Normal Talking"  
**"Demon Talking"**

* * *

It wasn't long before she attracted the attention of the Hokage. He came and spoke with her a while, and dispite her cautious and standoffish nature, he had her relaxed and laughing before long. She was a warm, friendly sort. Naruto frequently snuck in, and would come talk with her. She began to see the small blonde as someone she had to protect, and as the weeks of healing went by, she began to call him, "Naru-chan" much to his charign. In an attempt to get her back, he began to call her Nee-san. But this only made her smile, and he decided he didn't mind anymore. When she was eventually released from hospital, the Hokage arranged an apartment for her, which she accepted gratefully. One morning, she opted to go out for a walk, to explore this place she had begun to call home. As she walked, she was slightly overwhelmed by the sights and sounds, and was forced to close her mind to the barrage of thoughts that assailed her mind. When she reached a quieter area, she cautiously opened her mind, and was met with a different kind of mind. _**'**__**Itachi is doing well. He does the Uchiha Clan proud!'**_  
Bored with the vain thoughts she closed her mind off to those thoughts and wandered aimlessly. As she walked past the Academy, a small raven-haired boy ran into her, causing both to fall over, landing on their bottoms.  
"Ouch." Tsukiko muttered, rubbing her lower back. "That hurt."  
"Ahh! Sorry!" She looked up to see a small boy scramble to his feet then try to help her up. She smiled and got up, patting the dirt off her butt.  
"It's alright. No harm done." She smiled gently to the boy who sighed in relief before panicking.  
"Itachi-niisan is going to leave without me!" He cried running off again. "Sorry again! Bye!"  
"Um..." He was gone. "Bye?" Shaking her head, she wandered off to explore the rest of the village.

* * *

She wandered around, as the day dragged on, eventually finding herself at the base of a cliff. The sky began to darken, oddly since the sun was still a few hours from setting completely. Looking up, she noticed the clouds gathering, dark and ominous.  
_'Looks like a storm is on its way...'_  
Something glittering caught her attention, and curious, she climbed up a little to the spot, where a kunai revealed itself. Curious, she reached for it.

_~A kunai flashed before her eyes, blood coating the edges. The metallic smell made her gag. The kunai flashed, and pain shot through her arms.~_

Gasping, she wrenched her hand away, rubbing her stinging arms. _'__The heck was that!?'_ She took several calming breaths, and blinked as a fat water droplet hit her noes. Looking up, she blinked in surprise at how quickly the clouds had gathered.  
"Damn, I better book it if I want to get back before-" The rain came down. Hard. "Oh screw it." She muttered, carefully trying to find her way back down safely. A thunder clap made her wince, as her foot slipped, almost sending her flying. Spotting a small path not too far away, she carefully maneuvered her way towards it. Once both feet were securely on solid ground, she pushed her soaking wet hair out of her face and sighed dramatically. "Don't say it. Don't even think it." She muttered to herself. A scream broke the rhythmic sound of the wind and rain. Looking around wildly, she opened her mind to its limits, before she picked up a distressed mind.  
_'What's wrong?'_ She asked in a panic.  
_**'Falling. Sasuke is hurt...'**_ She almost fell over. She had no idea that someone would actually answer her. Blinking away her surprise, she pushed her hair back again, and this time searched the person's mind for their location. Running, she began the climb up the cliff in the torrential rain and howling wind, being careful to stay away from the edge, almost hugging the side of the cliff as she climbed.

* * *

_'I can't hold on much longer!'_ His mind was frantic. Looking down at the unconsious form of his little brother, he knew he had two options. One, drop Sasuke, save himself. Two, hold on until he can't anymore and fall to his death. Option one was a definite no. Then a panicked thought filled his mind. _**'What's wrong?'**_ Frowning, he thought it was a strange thing to think. _'__Falling.'_ He responded dryly, as if his mind was being stupid. _'__Sasuke is hurt...'_ The wind howled, and he struggled to keep a hold of Sasuke. The rain made it harder, as now Sasuke was slippery. Attempting to swing Sasuke up unto the path they had fallen from, the soft, rain-soaked earth crumbled. "Ahh!" A hand caught his, small and feminine. Looking up, he blinked to clear the rain from his eyes, but only saw the blury outline of someone small. He heard a grunt as another hand gripped his. The person pulled, and trying to help as much as possible, he tried to adjust his footing, using chakra to try make it easier to walk up the side of the cliff, but the earth just crumbled, and he only barely managed to push up off the cliff before it collapsed a little. With one more, mighty heave, the person pulled him up. Putting his arm onto the cliff, the hands let go, grabbing his shirt to keep him from falling. Reaching to his hand, the person helped pull Sasuke up. From this point, he could make out long, dark rain-soaked hair, and a small shape of a girl. Her hair and clothes clung to her, and he noticed she was barefoot. She cradled Sasuke's head in her lap as he pulled himself up onto the solid ground completely. She breathed heavily, attempting to catch her breath from pulling two people - both boys who probably weighed more than her together - from certain death. After he had managed to catch some of his breath, he crawled over to where they sat, the girl looked up at him.  
"He's bleeding." She said, trying to make eye-contact with him. "He needs help now." He looked straight into her eye. They were a dark hazel, filled with concern for the younger boy.  
"Yes." He struggled to his feet and reached for Sasuke. She shook her head, and still cradling him, lifted Sasuke into her arms.  
"You're tired. Catch you're breath and I'll give him back." She nodded towards a path he could no longer see with all that rain. She walked seemingly able to see the path that he couldn't and her followed, being sure to keep her in his sights at all times. _'__Who is she?'_

* * *

Holding the young boy close, Tsukiko lead the way down the cliff, retracing her footsteps through the torrential rain. Once at the base, she was panting. _'__He's heavy for a little guy.'_ She thought aimlessly. A hand touched her shoulder, and she looked over at the other boy. He looked slightly winded still, but she understood without him speaking. She handed over the boy, and when the older boy stumbled slightly, she caught his elbow and supported him a bit. He gave her a grateful smile, and nodded ahead. They made their way back into the Village, and he guided her towards his home. As they approached, the door flew open and a concerned woman ran out to meet them. She gasped when she saw the filthy state of the three children in front of her. "Sasuke! Itachi what happened!?" She took the unconscious child from the elder boy, and clutched him close to her. "Quickly, both of you inside, before you catch a cold."  
Tsukiko was about to protest, when the boy caught her wrist and pulled her along. She stood, dripping wet inside the doorway, watching the mother fuss over both her sons. A man appeared, and Tsukiko closed her mind, recognizing his thoughts, and not in the mood to hear more.  
"Explain." He demanded, glaring at Itachi.  
He looked down and away. "A mistake. It won't happen again." He looked over at Tsukiko, who was desperately wishing she could just go home. "Thank you. If you hadn't come when you did, we wouldn't be here." She gave a weak smile, jumping slightly as a towel was thrown over her shoulders.  
"Come, you can wear some of Itachi's clothes until yours are dry." Itachi's mother said, guiding the girl furthur into the house.  
Tsukiko's cheeks turned a faint pink as she tried to refuse again, only to hear Itachi laugh at her.  
"What's so funny!?" She demanded, glaring at him.  
"You can't argue with her." He said smiling softly. "Just do as she says for now...?"  
"Tsukiko." She said, looking away, sighing in defeat.

* * *

Tsukiko had been guided into the living room and parked in front of the fire, her clothes peeled from her body. With the towel still securely wrapped around her shoulders, she stared into the fire. Itachi dropped off a shirt and some pants which loosely fitted her smaller form. Feeling much warmer and much more comfortable, Mikoto, Itachi's mother, began drying out Tsukiko's long hair.  
"So, you're name is Tsukiko?" She asked gently.  
"Yes ma'am." She responded sleepily. Mikoto began to brush the tangles out of her hair, the hair lightening until it was a dark blonde.  
"Please, just call me Mikoto." Mikoto smiled warmly. "Thank you so much for helping my sons. I don't know what I would've done if something had happened to them."  
Feeling a little awkward, Tsukiko blushed. "Ah... thanks for letting me dry up." She mumbled.  
Mikoto smiled again. "It's the least I could have done."  
A moment of silence passed, and Mikoto sighed. "You have such beautiful hair, Tsuki-chan."  
_'Tsuki-chan?'_ "Um...Thank you." She blushed again, unused to the compliments she was recieving. She smiled. "Thank you."

* * *

Itachi looked into the living room just as the girl thanked his mother and smiled. What a warm and cheery smile. Her hair fell long, reaching just past midway down her back, and as the fire light danced on it, it took on the appearance of molten gold.  
"Quite the enigma, that Tsukiko girl." Blinking, Itachi looked over at his father.  
"How so?" Itachi kept his voice neutral, hoping to hide his curiosity and interest from his father.  
"You haven't heard? She was found bleeding and half dead in Teuchi's ramen bar." Fugaku looked down at his son and his gaze met his son. "No one knows where she came from, or how she even got there."  
Itachi looked back at the girl. His clothes were much to big for her, and hung loosely around her small frame. Her face was small, and drawn, as if she had been starved for long periods of time. Despite the warm smile, he could see how her eyes would dart towards a door or a window, as if planning an escape if needed.  
"That amulet." Itachi was drawn out of his musings by his father's voice. "I've seen that amulet somewhere." He muttered.  
Itachi looked over at the girl, noticing for the first time, the amulet in question. It was pretty, made almost entirely of silver, with a small golden crescent moon inside the silver circle. Despite its pretty appearance, Itachi couldn't discern anything unusual about it.  
"Ahh it doesn't matter, all that matters is that you are safe." Itachi shot his father a small sad look.  
"And Sasuke,"  
"hmm"

Tsukiko shot Fugaku a dirty look. His own son! The child had almost fallen to his death and the only one who showed any sign of worry was his brother and mother!  
When Mikoto had finished brushing her hair and the rain had stopped, Tsukiko excused herself from the family and made to go out the door. Itachi offered to take her home but she refused. "I can find my way from here, I walk around the village often so it's not a problem."  
"But-"  
"It's fine really! Thank you again for helping me and for everything," She turned and was out the door and running barefooted along the street.  
"Maybe I should follow her to make sur-"  
"No I'll do that. You get some rest," Fugaku walked outside and followed the girl at a distance but lost her when she vanished around a corner and into a crowd of people.  
_'Hmph that girl is very clever. She knew someone would follow her so she took a route that she could hide in.'_ Fugaku smiled to himself. '_She's a clever child indeed.'_

Tsukiko could tell she was being followed. Not caring if he knew where she lived, but neither was she interested in being babied, she turned down a well walked road, where people where still wandering around, now that the rain had stopped and merged in with the crowd. A few people gave her an odd look, seeing this young girl wander around bare foot. Ignoring them, she made her way slowly home. She thought back on everything that had happened, and blushed slightly, remembering the kind smile that Itachi had given her, and the warmth in his voice when he spoke. She arrived at her home, turning the key and stepping inside. _'__He has a beautiful mind...'_ She thought, a small smile on her lips. '_Its so...bright and...warm...'_ She shook her head, and closed the door behind her, locking it and wandering over to her bedroom. Changing into something more suitable for sleeping, she curled up under the sheets, and drifted off to sleep.


	3. Something Worth Protecting

**Ohayo minna~ yeah, this took a bit longer than i originally thought it would to do  
Its nothing like the original chapter had been, which is good since there was like NO character development in it, and i decided it'll all be rewritten and made all shiny new like this chapter  
reviews and such would be much appreciated, so i can see how i'm doing and what i need to work on for future chapters and all that  
so yeah, let me know how i'm doing**

_'Thoughts'  
~Dreams~_  
**'Other people's thoughts, when in Tsukiko's head'**_  
_**Demonic** **Voice**  
Things that are written  
"Normal Talking"  
**"Demon Talking"**

* * *

The sunlight trailed in through her curtains, eliciting a disgruntled groan from the sleeping girl, who opened one hazel eye to glare at the intruding sunlight. Sighing, she rolled out of her soft futon and made her way to her bathroom, stretching lazily as she walked. A knock at her door, drew her attention. Grumbling under her breath, she made her way to the door.  
"Ahh, there you are Tsukiko-chan." The landlady of the room she was currently staying in stood at her door, holding a small parcel and bag. "Someone dropped these off for you this morning. Its good to see you're making friends already." She smiled warmly at the girl, who sleepily blinked at her.  
"Who's it from?" She drawled, sleep still heavy in her voice.  
"I don't know, but the note says its for you." She handed Tsukiko the bag and parcel before saying goodbye and heading off in another direction.

Sighing, she stepped back into her apartment and looked at the note attached to the parcel. It had her name written in very neat handwriting. Putting the stuff onto a small table, she read the note.

Thank you again for helping my sons. You forgot these so I had them returned to you, along with some cookies as a thank you.

Blinking rapidly, she checked the bag and saw that within were her clothes. Running back to her room, she found the discarded clothes in a corner and realized they weren't hers. _'Well...that happened...'  
_Sighing, she quickly ran and washed them, thankful that it was still pretty early, then hung them up to dry. Wandering back to the table, she opened the parcel and could smell the still relatively warm cookies inside. Hungrily, she ate one or two before deciding to get dressed. After dressing, she looked around her small apartment, and decided to tidy up.  
"Well." She muttered to herself. "After cleaning, and stuff, I am bored." Checking on the clothes, she was annoyed to find that they were still very wet.  
Flopping onto the floor, she sat cross-legged and decided to stare at it until it was dry.

_~She was sitting somewhere dark, the soft chatter of voices somewhere just beyond her hearing, steadily getting louder as they approached.  
_"_Why won't the damn thing co-operate with us?" One slightly nasally voice demanded.  
_"_Because the host is resistant." A darker voice responded. Tsukiko shivered and curled into a tighter ball. "Don't worry, __**he'll**__ break her yet." Looking up, she saw a face smirking at her from a small hole in the door. "And when he does... We will be unstoppable!"~_

Tsukiko gasped and sat up straight. "Weird." She mumbled, rubbing her arms. "When did I fall asleep? More importantly." She looked up at the sky. The sun was just past midway. "Geez! How long was I sleeping!?" She checked the clothes and was pleased to see they were now dry. Folding them, she put them into a bag, and decided to head to Itachi's house and return his stuff. She locked the door behind her, and set off.

* * *

It wasn't long before she reached the house, and it turned out Mikoto was the only one home.  
"Thank you for the cookies and my clothes." She said, as she handed the bag of clothes to Mikoto. "I didn't even realize I was still wearing those clothes."  
Mikoto smiled. "Its alright. Did you want to come in for some tea? Itachi and Sasuke should be back soon."  
Tsukiko shook her head and smiled. "Its alright thank you. I was planning on exploring some more today."  
Mikoto smiled. "Itachi could give you a tour of the village if you like?"  
She blushed slightly, but still managed a warm smile. "No, no. I don't mind."  
"If you insist. But please, do visit again sometime." Mikoto laughed gently.  
Tsukiko smiled gently, a genuine smile. "I will. I promise."

* * *

After managing to extract herself from the Uchiha Matron, Tsukiko decided to head off in a random direction, when she sensed someone coming her way. Then she heard them. Turning, she saw a dark haired little boy running directly at her. _'Wow, look at him go. He's not gonna stop is he?'  
_He didn't. Bracing herself, she caught the boy as he collided with her.  
"We really need to stop meeting like this." Tsukiko chuckled as she helped the boy regain his balance. He looked up at her with wide, dark eyes. His head was wrapped with a bandage, and he blinked at her a few times.  
"Um...sorry?" He mumbled looking away, his cheeks vaguely pink.  
"I'll forgive you." She said, smiling at him. "This time."  
He blinked at her, then realized she was joking. He grinned. "I'll try to be more careful."  
Tsukiko realized she'd seen this kid somewhere else. Snapping her fingers, she startled the little boy. "Sasuke!" She exclaimed.  
"Yeah, how'd you know?" He tilted his head adorably.  
"I helped your brother get you home last night." She explained. Sasuke made another adorable face, his lips forming a small "oh" as he struck his palm with his other hand in understanding. "How's your head?" She asked, frowning in concern as she gently touched the bandage.  
Sasuke grinned hugely. "It's OK. Mom said that I was lucky it wasn't worse."  
Tsukiko smiled. "I'm glad it's not serious."  
"Hey Sasuke, who's your friend?" The two looked over to the voice. It was a tall dark haired boy, he must have been at least 14, his black hair falling messily into his dark eyes. _'He has face that looks like it only knows how to smile.'_ She thought to herself. _'He also has a very bright and cheerful mind. Its quite warm.'  
_"Shisui-san! Where's Itachi!?" Sasuke darted to the boy's side,grabbing his arm and shaking it almost violently. Tsukiko smiled, stifling a giggle.  
"Ow! Sasuke you're gonna rip my arm off!" The boy, Shisui, whined.  
"Sasuke, stop trying to tear off Shisui's arm." Tsukiko looked up and saw Itachi approach them, laughing softly. His long dark hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, a small amused smile played on his lips.  
She smiled at him, and he smiled back. Shisui looked between them, before grinning and throwing an arm around Itachi's shoulders. "So, are you going to introduce me to this cutie, hey Itachi-kun~?"  
Itachi blushed faintly, avoiding eye-contact with his friend. "This is Tsukiko-san."  
"Hi." She said shyly, waving and smiling at them.  
"Nice to meet you." Shisui, said. He released Itachi to grab her hand, holding it up between them, grinning into her face. "My name is Uchiha Shisui."  
"Nice to meet you to, Shisui-kun."  
Shisui grinned, seemingly pleased with himself. Tsukiko visibly relaxed, a genuine smile gracing her face. _'I didn't even realize I was tense..'_ She thought absently.

* * *

It was almost like she had been afraid of them. When Shisui had grabbed her hand, she had tensed, as if preparing to make a run for it. But then she completely relaxed, and by far the most beautiful smile he had ever seen on her face yet, appeared. He decided then, that he wanted to see it again. Smiling slightly he put a hand on Sasuke's head.  
"Did you get your things, Tsukiko-chan?"  
She looked at him, with a mildly confused expression, that changed to a smile. "Yes, thank you for bringing them home for me, Itachi-kun."  
He could feel his cheeks heat up slightly, but his embarrassment fled when his little brother grinned widely.  
"Tsuki-neesan, are you coming to train with us?" He asked, latching onto the girl's arm.  
"Neesan?" She questioned softly. She gave a small smile, chuckling nervously. "Um, sure. I didn't have anything better to do."  
Sasuke looked like his birthday had come early. He could barely contain himself. Itachi walked quietly behind, as Tsukiko walked ahead with Sasuke and Shisui. Sasuke was holding her hand, skipping slightly with a huge smile on his face. Shisui was chattering away excitedly with her.  
_'There's a light that seems to follow her.'_ He thought absently. _'It's really quite beautiful. Something worth protecting, like Sasuke.'_ He saw her look over her shoulder at him, her face turning a faint pink. For a moment, he wondered if she could hear his thoughts, before he dismissed the thought as foolish.

* * *

_'Something worth protecting, hmm?'_ Tsukiko looked at her linked hand with Sasuke, then over at the smiling, chattering Shisui, then tipped her head, a faint blush on her cheeks as she looked over at Itachi. _'That's a nice idea.'_

* * *

The days almost seemed to flow by, Tsukiko found that she enjoyed the company of the Uchiha boys. Shisui would frequently leave the village on missions, and when he came back, he would tell wild tales to the amusement of Sasuke. When she wasn't with them, she would be with Naruto, who had definitely become attached to her. But it wouldn't be long before this peace fled. She could feel it.

* * *

It had been a long day, and Sasuke had fallen asleep. Tsukiko sat with her back against a tree, the small boy sleeping in her lap, when she was found sleeping by Itachi and Shisui.  
"Ahh, isn't that the cutest thing you've ever seen?" Shisui chuckled.  
Itachi smiled gently, shaking his head. "What were they up to? They look exhausted."  
Itachi bent and lifted his sleeping brother into his arms, planning to carry the boy back home. Shisui moved to wake Tsukiko, when she tensed, her whole body becoming rigid. Her face twisted into a pained and tormented visage. As they watched in horror, her breathing quickened, until her eyes snapped open, an ear-splitting shriek filling the small clearing. She was on her feet and running, her eyes wide with terror. Sasuke was jolted awake, clinging to his brother in fright.  
"Nii-san, what's wrong with Tsuki-neesan? Did someone scare her?" He questioned, fear and confusion in his eyes. Putting Sasuke gently on the ground, Itachi looked over to Shisui.  
"Stay with Sasuke, I'll find Tsukiko-chan and find out what's wrong." He said calmly. Shisui nodded, his normally cheerful face completely serious.

* * *

_**"You think yourself my better?"**__ This was her voice. She could feel the words coming from her mouth, but she knew it couldn't possibly be her own words. __**"You are foolish, little man. I will kill you."  
**_"_So you keep saying, Demon, but I find that I am still alive." A voice sneered back. "Now, you will perform the task I have set out for you, or the girl will suffer again."  
A dark laugh filled the air. __**"You presume to command me? Threaten the girl. I care not."  
**_"_You and I both know your lives are intertwined. If she dies, you will too."  
_"_**So be it. You will be hard pressed to kill me however."**__ A signal. The weapons came from every direction, but non hit her. She found herself leaping through the air, gracefully twisting as she avoided the deadly projectiles. One, two three. She killed the first with a powerful punch to the face, crushing his skull against the wall behind him, with inhuman strength, his blood painting the wall an eerie crimson. The second was slain as she twisted around, kicking the ninja over the edge of a cliff, where she dashed her skull against the rocks. The third was killed by his own blade, as she forced his hand to put the blade through his eye and into his brain. Another volley of kunai, flashing in the light of a full moon, a number of them tearing her clothing and cutting her arms and legs. One embedded itself into her arm, causing her to hiss in agony. Ripping the weapon from her skin, she released a powerful wave of energy, blasting the rest away. Turning to the leader, she stalked towards him, a bestial sneer on her face.  
_"_You will not kill me, Demon." The voice chuckled. "_She_ cannot do it."  
A raised eyebrow. __**"You believe she controls me?"**__ A dark maniacal laugh bubbled from her lips. __**"I **_**will****_ kill you. Have no doubt of that." _**_A pause, a dark sneer on her lips. __**"When the day comes, I will have you killed by her hand even."  
**__The man smirked, his face shrouded in shadow. Pain ripped through her skull, and Tsukiko fell to her knees, screaming.~_

* * *

He found her curled up behind the Memorial Stone, her arms wrapped around her knees.  
"Tsukiko-chan?" He called softly, approaching slowly. "What's wrong?" He reached a hand out to touch her arm.  
She swatted his hand away, and he saw her face twisted into a mask of absolute terror. Pulling his stinging hand away, he frowned in confusion. "Tsukiko-chan?"  
"S-Stay away!" She retreated further from him.  
"Let me help you." He said gently, smiling warmly to her. "You don't have to be afraid."  
"Don't touch me!" She screamed, throwing her hands up in front of her. A blinding pain shot through his mind, and he fell to his knees, clutching his head as he howled in agony.

* * *

Memories flooded behind her eye lids. _'These aren't mine, are they?'  
_She could feel her power digging somewhere, pulling the memories towards her, searching for something. What it was that she was searching for, she didn't know. Then memories she recognized surfaced. _'These are Itachi-kun's memories.'_ She realized. With a gasp, the memories stopped, and her eyes flew open. She watched in horror as Itachi collapsed in front of her, his eyes rolling back into his head. "Itachi!" She cried, catching him as he fell.  
"I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry!" She cried, tears streaming down her cheeks as she clung to his unconscious form. "Please wake up, I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you." She sobbed, her tears dripping onto Itachi's pale face.  
"Tsukiko-chan?" She looked up to see Shisui approaching cautiously.  
"Sh-Shisui-kun..." She whispered brokenly. "I-I'm so sorry."  
Shisui ran over to their side, checking Itachi's vitals, frowning in confusion. "What happened?" He demanded.  
Tsukiko flinched, unaccustomed to the hard edge in his voice. "I-I don't know." She began to wring her hands. "I-I think I hurt him, but I don't know..."  
"There are no visible wounds." He said gently, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I know you didn't mean it, if you did hurt him-"  
"But I _did_!" She cried. "I was in his head, and I did something and now he's hurt!"  
Shisui frowned. "_In_ his head? How?"  
"I-I don't know.." She mumbled. "I've always been able to hear thoughts, but that was the first time I've actually _been_ in someone's head."  
Sighing, Shisui pulled Tsukiko into a gentle hug. "It's ok, I know you didn't do it on purpose."  
Tsukiko sniffled, hesitantly wrapping her arms around Shisui, before she burst into tears again. He rocked her gently as she sobbed, until she fell into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Sighing tiredly, Shisui looked at the sleeping girl in his arms, then over at his unconscious friend. _'I need to bring them to the Hokage. He'll know what to do.'_


	4. What's Important

_I don't own anything except Tsukiko and random bad guys._

_'Thoughts'  
__~Dreams~  
_**'Other people's thoughts, when in Tsukiko's head'  
****Demonic** **Voice  
**Things that are written  
"Normal Talking"  
**"Demon Talking"**

* * *

Itachi woke up later that same day, but Tsukiko wouldn't go see him. After Shisui had brought both of them to the Hokage, she had spoken with the Third, while Itachi was tended to. The Third knew she wasn't the type to attack people, that as far as he was aware, were the only friends she had. But she was scarred. Her mind was reliving things that were traumatic, and through them, she was discovering a power that was potentially even more dangerous than the Sharingan. She had the makings of a Shinobi. That much he could tell. After Itachi woke up, he was questioned on the experience. The only ones who knew of her power, were Shisui, Itachi and the Hokage. They decided, that in order to protect her from those that would use her power against the village, she would be kept secret. No one else could know about her Kekkei Genkai.  
Shisui was chosen as her teacher, and she would train with him and Itachi.

* * *

Tsukiko sat on her futon, staring out at the moon. She had all but cut herself off from the Uchiha brothers after the incident. Shisui frequently visited, and often brought Itachi, but when he did, she was simply never there. She was wracked with guilt, and was floundering. Shisui tried to teach her, but she was unresponsive, reluctant to learn.  
"What do I do?" She whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek.  
"Tsuki-neechan." A voice whispered, causing her to blink her tears away quickly.  
"Naru-chan, why are you hiding outside my window?" She questioned, staring at Naruto, who was sort of hanging from her window sill.  
"I- uh..." He fumbled for an answer. _**'I was worried...you weren't yourself...'**_ "You were acting weird, so I thought I'd ask, but then I got stuck."  
Tsukiko blinked, then smiled. She helped the small boy through the window, and switched on the lights.  
"Are you really training to be a ninja?" Naruto questioned, sitting cross legged on her futon, his small face bright with excitement.  
She looked over at him, frowning. "I don't really want to. I don't want to hurt people."  
"But ninjas are the best!" Naruto gushed, leaping to his feet from the futon. "They are strong and fast and awesome and they protect everyone!"

_~'Something worth protecting.'~_

Tsukiko blinked again, before turning to face Naruto, her expression thoughtful. "If I was a ninja, I could protect people I cared about? I wouldn't hurt them?"  
Naruto looked at her as if the answer was obvious. "Duh."  
She frowned, looking down at the floor, her hair falling into her eyes. _'I don't want to hurt people anymore. Not like I did to Itachi-kun.'  
_"But I will hurt people." She whispered.  
"If I was a ninja," Naruto hadn't heard her, thankfully. "I would fight really hard to make people acknowledge me." He spoke softly, his head bowed and hands clenched.  
"I acknowledge you, Naru-chan." Tsukiko said, putting a hand on his shoulder.  
Naruto looked up, his eyes filled with tears that hadn't spilled yet. He smiled up at her. "And that's why when I'm a ninja, I will become stronger than everyone, so that Tsuki-nee won't ever cry again!"  
Tsukiko blinked, shock evident on her face. "W-what do you mean?"  
"Tsuki-nee was crying earlier." Naruto said, tilting his head to the side slightly. "I don't want you to cry like that ever again, believe it!"  
Tsukiko smiled. "You know what? I think I will become a ninja."  
Naruto gave her a slightly confused, but pleased look. "So that way, I can protect my little Ototo." She smiled, hugging Naruto warmly.

* * *

The change was almost immediately obvious. Shisui noticed her reluctance vanish, replaced with firm determination as she took on his challenges and worked hard.  
"What changed?" He asked, visibly pleased with Tsukiko's new found determination, but altogether confused.  
"I realized that I need to become stronger." She said simply, shrugging her shoulders. "That way I can make sure I don't hurt anyone like Itachi-kun, and I can keep my precious people safe."  
Shisui smiled. "That's good. A good ninja has a goal. Preferably, an honorable one."  
"Tsuki-neechan!" Tsukiko turned her head to see a little raven-haired boy running towards her eagerly, followed hesitantly by an older boy.  
Tsukiko smiled to them both, the first sign of warmth she had shown them in weeks. Itachi seemed to visibly relax, a small smile on his face, while Sasuke simply glomped her, demanding she teach him whatever Shisui was teaching her.  
"Maybe one day, Sasuke-chan." She said smiling. "But first, you have to get a little bigger."  
"No fair!" He whined. They all laughed, as Tsukiko looked back towards the village. _'Thank you, Naru-chan. You helped me realize what's important.'_

* * *

It had been a month, and Tsukiko was aware that her progress was not normal. Shisui said she was at least chunin level, despite only learning these techniques in under a month. Other jonin were interested too, coming to observe her progress, or to help teach her a technique or two when Shisui or Itachi were busy.  
Today was her rest day though. Shisui was on a mission, Naruto and Sasuke were at the Academy, and a number of the regular jonin were also on missions. Tsukiko was busy staring up at the stone faces of the past Hokages. Her focus was on the Fourth. He had died protecting the village. He might not have known everyone, maybe he even disliked a lot of the villagers, but he had given his life to keep them safe.  
"The epitome of all Shinobi." She mused softly. "What is a shinobi?" She questioned to herself.  
"Someone who endures." Tsukiko looked around slowly. She had been so absorbed in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed Itachi approach her. "Self-sacrifice."  
"A nameless shinobi protecting peace from the shadows." She chuckled. "Shisui told me that much."  
Itachi raised a curious eyebrow, a small smile on his face.  
"Its his favorite lecture." She smiled. "I know you know."  
"True." He sat beside her. "What is your dream for the future then?"  
She looked at him, an amused expression on her face. "You're awfully talkative today."  
He smiled again. "All Academy students get asked that question. It makes them think about their reason for becoming a shinobi."  
"I want to keep my little brothers safe." She said quietly, looking back up at the sky. "I want to protect my friends, from anyone who might hurt them. I want to be someone they can rely on."  
"I rely on you." Itachi said casually. Tsukiko blinked and looked back at him. "I trust you with my life."  
She blushed and turned away. "Don't just say stuff like that!"  
"Why not?"  
She frowned, her head still facing away. "Its weird."  
"Is it?"  
"Stop that."  
"Stop what?"  
"Itachi!" She turned around to see him laughing. "Its not funny!"  
He clutched his stomach, wiping a tear from his eyes. "But you're just so cute when you get worked up."  
She stuck her tongue out at him. "You and Shisui should go soak your heads."  
He chuckled at that, shaking his head in amusement.  
"Are you sure you two aren't really the same person?" She asked testily, standing up and dusting her shorts off. "You are both insufferable sometimes."  
"Only sometimes?" She grunted in response. Itachi smiled gently up at her. "You're always staring off into space. Care to share your thoughts?"  
She paused, looking down at him. "Just thinking about the Fourth today." She said shrugging. She looked back at his stone face. "He paid the ultimate price for peace."  
"He did." Itachi said quietly, staring at the stone face with reverence.  
"So, are we going to eat, or are you just going to think about asking all day?" She questioned suddenly. Itachi blinked, his face turning pink as he realized she could hear his thoughts.  
"You shouldn't be in people's heads."  
"And you shouldn't mess with people's heads." She retorted. Itachi chuckled before getting up and walking with her to find something to eat.  
"You know, I meant every word." He said, suddenly serious.  
"I know." She said, not looking at him, an embarrassed blush on her cheeks. "Feeling's mutual."  
Itachi blushed in response, but smiled at her anyway.

* * *

3 months from the Incident, and she was brought before the Hokage again. This time, he was to judge her skill and decide whether to put her through the chunin exams or not. By the end of the demonstration, the Hokage, as well as the jonin present, all agreed. She was at least jonin level if not a bit stronger. This of course, did nothing for Shisui's ego, but it was agreed that she would have to go through the chunin exams regardless. They were in a week, and she would unfortunately have to go through on her own. This proved to be a good choice, when she came through the exam well, despite the handicap of being on her own, and she was promoted to jonin shortly after. She was placed onto a team with Shisui and Itachi, since her teamwork was best with them. By the end of 6 months, she was celebrating a year of being in the village. A year since she had appeared, but only six months since the Incident. Her fears for harming her friends waned by each day, as she gained confidence.

* * *

He and his clan mate were perched precariously on the roof, waiting for confirmation from the third member of their team that she had accomplished her task.  
"Worried?" His friend whispered to him, putting a hand on his shoulder.  
"This is her first A-rank mission." He responded, his eyes searching the dark for the familiar glint of gold that would reveal Tsukiko to him.  
"True." Shisui responded, shifting to get a bit more comfortable. "But she's clever, strong and fast. She'll be fine."  
_'Its done, move in.'_ Tsukiko's thoughts reached their minds, giving them the signal for all clear.  
Sighing in relief, Itachi moved quickly to move into his position, while Shisui went a different way. He spotted Tsukiko standing near the edge of the building they were infiltrating, unconscious ninja being moved carefully out of view. Itachi paused to investigate one of them, using a Transformation jutsu to make himself look like the ninja. Tsukiko did the same, taking on the appearance of the second ninja. She then linked her mind with his, feeding him the information she had gathered from the ninja that would be immediately important. With a nod, they took up positions, and waited a few minutes before the next shift arrived. Quickly moving in, they hurried to find their target.  
_'Stop worrying, this is a B-Rank at most and you know it.'_ She chastised him.  
_'A-Rank, never underestimate your enemy Tsukiko-chan.'_ He responded.  
She gave him a look he recognized, even with this unfamiliar face. Sighing, he spoke out loud. "I know, I know."  
"What are you two doing here?" A ninja approached them, watching them suspiciously.  
"Just got off guard duty." Tsukiko responded. "The other shift is on."  
"I see." The ninja shrugged and wandered back where he came from. Tsukiko shook her head and led the way. _'Shisui should be in place now.'_ She informed him.  
_'Let's complete the mission then.'_

* * *

Tsukiko could feel her frustration growing with Itachi. He was fussing, even if he wouldn't show it, and she knew Shisui knew. _'Why doesn't Shisui do something? He won't listen to me...'  
_They stopped outside the door, where the target was currently hiding. Nodding to Itachi, she reached out and opened the door, revealing the target sitting in a chair, tied up. The two moved in quickly, Itachi untying the Target, while Tsukiko contacted Shisui and opened the window. Shisui appeared seconds later.  
"The patrols have been dealt with. With luck, we should be half way to the village before they realize the girl is missing." Tsukiko nodded, and released the transformation jutsu. Shisui, looked back over his shoulder, turning back to Tsukiko. "Go take point, Itachi and I will take care of her. You know what to do."  
She nodded. Slipping out the window, she quickly and quietly moved about the path they had decided, ensuring it was unobstructed. Before long, she sensed her team mates approaching. At the border of her senses, she sensed something else, that caught her attention. Ensuring the route was safe, she went to inspect the strange sense she had gotten. Approaching, she discovered a number of ninja with masks standing in a semi circle. As she came closer, she noticed them tense, and their thoughts suddenly focused on her. _'They know I'm here!'_ She quickly retreated, but then noticed that they had begun to follow her. She used her technique to incapacitate them from within their own minds, trying to get them to give up the chase, but they kept following. Eventually she realized she wouldn't be able to join up with the other two, since that would put the mission at risk.  
_'Shisui, get the girl somewhere safe, I can't meet up.' _She quickly relayed her problem, when kunai began to fly at her. Dodging, she turned to repel the ones she wouldn't be able to dodge. _'Run!'_ She ordered. She changed her path, running in a different direction from where Shisui and Itachi would be.  
"Crap!" She cursed, skidding to a halt as a cliff face loomed before her. She looked around, cursing as she realized she had run herself into a dead end. Turning she saw the shinobi appear from the forest, closing in on her slowly, dark chuckles emitting from the masks.  
"Well, if it isn't the little Tsukiko brat." The leader leered, stepping out of the group. A symbol flashed on his chest, and Tsukiko froze.

_~Men with a symbol like a dragon in the shape of a tear drop, the color of blood surrounded her. The leader stepped forward, a whip in hand.  
Crack.  
Pain shooting through her small frame, a cry escaping chapped lips.  
Crack.  
Blood trickled down her back, the metallic tang filling her nostrils and choking her.  
Crack.  
Spots appeared before her eyes, the edges of her vision tinted black.  
_"_Enough." A voice rang. "We don't want to kill her. Yet."~_

* * *

Itachi sprinted headlong through the forest, heading in the direction he had picked up. He knew something was off, he just knew it. And now, Tsukiko was being chased down by shinobi. As he got closer, he became aware of the overpowering feeling of Tsukiko's mind technique. He paused just outside her range, looking around for somewhere he could get a good vantage from. Climbing up a tree, he heard the agonized screams of men as Tsukiko's technique tore their minds apart. He despised the technique, but right now he was too concerned for her safety to care. But then he heard her blood curdling scream, and his blood ran cold. Leaping from the tree, he took off in the direction of her scream. Coming out into a clearing, he found a group of men, their mask torn off by their own hands, their faces void of all emotion, as they lay there drooling. A few yet stood, one of them with an unconscious Tsukiko thrown over his shoulder. Anger filled him as he watched the man turn slowly to face him.  
"And you must be one of the two shinobi who were with her earlier." The man said slowly. "Walk away now. You needn't throw your life away for this brat."  
"Release Tsukiko-chan, or I will kill you." Itachi said calmly, pulling out two kunai.  
"Brat, we ain't giving you the girl." Another masked man snapped. "Boss would do much worse to us than you could possibly imagine if we don't bring her back."  
Realization hit him. These people were probably to blame for the way Tsukiko was when she had arrived in the village. They were to blame for her mental state after her body had recovered. Fury filled him, and he activated his Sharingan.  
"You hurt Tsukiko." He said softly. "Broke her, made her afraid." Fixing his gaze on them, he took an offensive posture. "I won't let you hurt her again. You will pay for what you've already done to her."  
"Kill him." The leader ordered.

* * *

She woke up to the sound of combat. Her eyes cracked open, and she watched as bodies moved at the edge of her blurry vision. She lay there, unable to move, pain wracking her entire body. She could hear someone calling to her, but she felt like she was drowning, and slowly her vision darkened again.

* * *

_'Where am I?'  
_She was surrounded on all sides by darkness, that seemed almost alive.  
**"You are a real pain, you know that?"** A voice echoed all around her.  
_'Who are you!?'_ She called, trying to find the source of the voice. Everything felt muted, as if she was under water.  
**"None of your damn business."** The voice snapped. "**Stop messing around and wake up already."  
**A giant eye opened, blood red and slitted. It focused on her, fear coursing through her.

Tsukiko gasped, her eyes flying open. Reflexively she tightened her arms around the person carrying her. When she had established that she wasn't in any immediate trouble, her eyes were drawn to the back of a dark head.  
"Itachi?" She croaked. Her throat felt dry and sore, as if she had been screaming. _'I did scream though, didn't I?'  
_"I'm glad you're OK." Came his almost cold response. _**'How could you be so careless?! I was worried!'**_ She could hear the thoughts he wanted to voice, but couldn't.  
Resting her head on his shoulder, she sighed softly. "I'm sorry." She murmured, just loud enough for him to hear. He tensed momentarily, but then relaxed, remembering her abilities.  
"It's alright." He said gently. "You're safe, that's all that matters."  
Tears began to fall from her eyes, leaving a little wet patch on his neck. "I'm sorry." She sobbed. _'I'm always causing him trouble.'  
_He stopped walking, his arms tightening on her legs. "Tsukiko." His voice was sharp, causing Tsukiko to flinch. "I won't let anyone hurt you like they did."  
Her eyes widened.  
"I don't need mind reading powers to know they hurt you." He said calmly. "You're important to me. I never want to see you cry."  
She wiped the tears from her eyes, then wrapped her arms securely around Itachi's neck. "Thank you." She whispered. "Thank you for coming for me."

"I promised didn't I?"

* * *

**Author Note: **Hello yall!  
I'm actually surprised how quickly this one was done, which is a little concerning methinks. A rushed job is generally not a very good job... Let me know how i did, just so i know where to improve

...I know Itachi is a little OOC, but i reckon before the clan massacre, he was a funny guy. Well... until next time~


	5. Stupid Sexy Uchiha

"And that's what happened." Shisui finished, the Hokage's eyes closed as he listened to the mission report patiently. Exhausted, Tsukiko was barely able to maintain the link with Shisui and Itachi as they helped fill in the gaps for Shisui.  
_**'Can you tell what he's thinking?' **_Tsukiko shot Shisui an annoyed look. He was fidgeting slightly, throwing her curious glances.  
_'No.'_ Amusement radiated from Itachi when Shisui shot her a disbelieving look.  
_**'Yes you can, you just like making me suffer.'  
**_Tsukiko gave him her most innocent expression. _'Why would I __**ever**__ do that?'  
_Shisui's eyes narrowed slightly, and he opened his mouth to retort audibly.  
"If the two of you are quite done?" The Third interjected. Apparently he'd been watching the silent communication for some time, and his eyes held the amusement his face hid. "The presence of these... other... ninja is troubling. However, the mission was a success, and the merchant's daughter spoke highly of your rescue."  
All three bowed their heads in acknowledgment. "Shisui and Itachi will stay here for a time, Tsukiko, report to Kakashi, you will head out with him in two days on another mission."  
"Yes, Lord Hokage." She said stiffly, slightly disappointed. She'd been hoping to be able to nurse her wounds, so to speak.  
She bowed and left, releasing her jutsu as she went. Once out the door, she stumbled slightly, bumping directly into someone. Unable to keep her balance, she fell over and landed with a thump on her bottom.  
"Ow..." She mumbled, wincing as she tried to get back up.  
"Ah, Tsukiko-san." She blinked and looked at the gloved hand in her face. She took it, and was pulled up to her feet. Her eyes flickered to the face attached to the arm, and found herself looking into one bored gray eye.  
"Kakashi-senpai, I was just on my way to find you." She said, tipping her head and smiling.  
"Really, why?" His eye flickered with curiosity.  
"Hokage-sama said I had to report to you, something about a mission in two days?"  
"Oh yeah..." He said, his usual bored demeanor back.  
Tsukiko sighed. "Please don't be late senpai. Again." She shook her head, then looked back up, giving him an exhausted smile. "I'm going home, I need to rest."  
He nodded and let her pass him. She could feel his eyes – eye – on her as she made her way down the hall and out the building. She could tell he was concerned. She didn't need mind reading powers to know he had seen just _how_ weak she had become. She was practically out of chakra. She knew he meant well, but she just wanted to be alone now. The blank, drooling faces of the people she had attacked were still looking back at her, and she just wanted to take a long bath. As if that would wash away what she had done. She snorted at herself, shaking her head as she made her way home. Once she got there, she groaned and threw herself onto her bed. She needed to recover as much chakra as possible for her next mission.

* * *

The next day, she barely even roused all day. She was aware that Naruto had stopped by, using her house as a hideout when he did a prank, before he left again. That evening, she rolled over and spotted someone sitting by her door.  
"Naruto?" She muttered, sitting up and yawning. She was trying to conserve her chakra, so she resisted resorting to her mind technique.  
A small chuckle. Nope, not Naruto. "Why are you skulking around my room, Itachi?"  
"I'm not skulking." He huffed, getting to his feet. "I was checking on you, then decided to rest for a bit."  
She snorted at him, stretching as she popped her stiff joints. "I'm fine, as you can see."  
He sat on the edge of her bed. "Did you want to talk about those ninja?"  
She sighed. She should have known. "Not really. I don't actually know for sure what they were after." She shrugged, looking into Itachi's dark eyes.  
"Hm." He tipped his head slightly. "Are you listening to my thoughts?"  
"No." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Should I be concerned that you asked?"  
Itachi smiled, shaking his head. He pulled out a little box and handed it to her. "Happy Birthday." He said simply.  
She blinked at him. "You remembered?" She whispered. Sasuke had asked her when her birthday was, around a month after the anniversary of her arrival in the village. She hadn't realized that Itachi had been listening.  
He smiled gently. "Of course."  
She opened the box, revealing a bracelet with three silver rings and a crescent moon charm attached to the center one. She stared at it, open-mouthed. It was simple, but she loved it. It was hers, a gift given without strings attached.  
"Itachi..." She looked up at him, and realized he was anxious. She jumped up, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. He lost his balance, and they fell off the bed together, laughing as they went. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"  
"I'm glad you like it." He laughed, trying to sit up a little with her still sprawled on top of him.  
"I love it!" She grinned. Before her mind could fully catch up with her, she kissed him. He tensed up, his eyes wide as he stared at her. She pulled away quickly with a yelp, jumping away from him as if he burned her. "I-er... um-" Her face began to turn 50 shades of red as she stood there stammering, looking anywhere but at him.  
He sat there, in shock for a moment, then threw his head back and laughed. She stared at him with wide eyes for a moment, her face beet red, before she chuckled softly, shaking her head at him. He wiped a tear from his eye, and noticed she was staring at him quietly. "Are you alright?"  
She blinked at him. "I should be asking you that."  
"_You_ kissed _me_." He said pointedly.  
"Not what I meant." She sang dismissively, flicking her head at him as she picked up the box with the bracelet.  
He tilted his head to her curiously. "What did you mean?"  
She turned around again, holding a hand out to him. "You've looked really sad lately." He smiled at her, then took her hand. She was barely able to register the wicked glint in his eye before she was pulled into his arms, and he kissed her. She sat there in confusion for a moment, before she was swept away with the moment.  
"_...Best birthday ever..."_

* * *

Tsukiko sat at her table eating her breakfast, her slightly damp hair curling around her face as she stared at the bracelet before her. After he had kissed her, he had left to go home, since his family would get suspicious if he didn't come home. Especially since he was currently on mission leave for the night. But that the kiss had happened at all had her mind racing for hours after that she simply couldn't get to sleep afterwards. When she finally did, she had thought it was all a crazy dream, brought on by hormones and such. But then she found the bracelet, and she realized it had been all real.  
_"I wonder what this all means? I hope things don't become awkward."_ She blinked, then grimaced. _"Knowing Shisui, it will get awkward. Damn nosy Uchiha."_ Getting up, she set about getting ready for her mission that morning. Kakashi would be late, if past experience was anything to go by. When she had pulled on her shorts, a tank shirt and pulled her hair back into a high ponytail, her headband tied around her hips and fingerless gloves pulled onto her hands, she grabbed her ninja tools and put them in place. As she headed to her door, the bracelet caught her eye again. She stared at it for a moment, before she grabbed it and put it around her left ankle and ran to the door. She didn't bother with shoes. She never did. It drove Shisui nuts, since he swore one day she'd get hurt and it would be because she wouldn't wear shoes. She had always responded that if she worried about getting hurt, she'd walk around in tin armor like the samurai in the Land of Iron. That had him laughing. Tsukiko rolled her eyes at the memory and made her way to the meeting spot.  
"What a surprise." She muttered. "He's not here."  
"Who?" Tsukiko looked back over her shoulder to see Shisui and Itachi coming towards her. Tsukiko turned her head back again, feeling her cheeks warm slightly. Taking a deep breath she turned around and grinned at them.  
"Who do you think, Shi-chan?"  
"I told you not to call me that." He grumbled, frowning at her. "And you're not wearing shoes again."  
"I know." She said, shrugging.  
"Hold on." Shisui said, narrowing his eyes at her feet. "Don't you have something like that, Itachi?"  
Tsukiko tipped her head, looking thoroughly confused.  
"Maybe." Itachi said, looking away. A small blush brushed his cheeks, which only made _not_ blushing that much harder for Tsukiko.  
Shisui looked between them, and frowned. "Did I miss something?"  
Tsukiko shook her head. "Nope." _"Kakashi-senpai, if you don't hurry up I'll-"_  
Shisui snapped his fingers. "That's right!" Tsukiko's eyes grew wide as he scooped her into a hug. "It was your birthday!"  
"Erm..." She winced as he squeezed the life out of her. "Shi-chan-I can't..breath!"  
He let her go, putting her down gently as she gasped for some much-needed air.  
"Itachi, tell her happy birthday!" Shisui scolded. Both of them looked at him funny. "I missed something didn't I?"  
"Itachi wished me happy birthday yesterday." Tsukiko said, shaking her head at her friend's antics. "On my actual birthday."  
"Eh!?" He looked over at his friend. "You said you were running errands!"  
"I was."  
"Tsuki-chan is not an errand!"  
"When I was done, I paid her a visit." Itachi said with a shrug. "No one sleeps ALL day."  
"Oh...WHY DIDN'T YOU BRING ME WITH YOU!?" Shisui asked, his face comically annoyed. Itachi picked this moment to turn scarlet. _"Kakashi-senpai, now would be a GREAT time to turn up. 10 minutes late is forgivable...especially considering the circumstances...PLEASE!"  
_Shisui stared at his friend's red face, then slowly looked at Tsukiko, who was slowly turning pink herself. He stood there staring at them quietly for what felt like hours, before a slow grin spread on his face. "Are you guys...?" He looked back and forth again, neither one looking at him or each other. "You are!" He threw an arm around both shoulders and squeezed them. "Its about time."  
"Sorry I'm late!" Kakashi strolled up, earning a dark glare from Tsukiko.  
"No you're not." She grumbled. Shisui chuckled and patted her shoulder.  
"Good luck with this one, Kakashi-senpai." He said, a wicked glint in his eyes. "She can be a real handful."  
"Hey!" She turned on him, her expression indignant.  
Itachi smiled gently to her. "Be safe alright?"  
She turned a slightly darker shade of pink. "Sure." She murmured, looking down.  
"Tsukiko-san, we should head out." Kakashi called out.  
"Ah! Coming!" As she turned to follow, Itachi grabbed her hand and turned her back around. He planted a kiss on her cheek, grinning at the completely surprised expression on her face and her annoyed glance at Shisui who was laughing his head off. "I'll see you guys when I get back." She then turned and hurriedly caught up with Kakashi. Even though she could see the amused glint in his eye, she was glad he had more sense than to try and tease her about it. _"Geez... acting bashful like that... I'll get him back for embarrassing me... stupid sexy Uchiha..."_

* * *

**AUTHOR NOTE: this took a lot longer because Tsukiko and Itachi refused to cooperate and in the end... this was created... I'm not sure whether or not to be satisfied, but whatever.  
We'll see how this turns out, won't we?**


End file.
